Inquiry Criticizes US Broadcasting Official (Tomlinson) Over Hiring

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Inquiry Criticizes U.S. Broadcasting Official Over Hiring
By STEPHEN LABATON
Published: August 29, 2006

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 — State Department investigators have concluded that Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, the head of the federal agency that oversees most government broadcasts to foreign countries, improperly hired a friend on the public payroll for nearly $250,000 over two and a half years, according to a summary of their report made public this afternoon by Democratic Congressional staff members.

They also said that Mr. Tomlinson, whose job puts him in charge of the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe, used his government office for personal business, including running a “horse racing operation” in which he supervised a stable of thoroughbreds he named after leaders from Afghanistan, including President Hamid Karzai and the late Ahmed Shah Massoud, that have raced at tracks across the United States. They also said that Mr. Tomlinson repeatedly used government employees to do his personal errands and that he billed the government for more days of work than the rules permit.

The State Department inspector general presented those findings in a report last week to the White House and on Monday to some members of Congress. Three Democratic lawmakers, Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Representatives Howard Berman and Tom Lantos of California, requested the inquiry last year after they were approached by a whistleblower from the agency about the possible misuse of federal money by Mr. Tomlinson and the possible hiring of phantom or unqualified employees....

***

Mr. Tomlinson was ousted from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting last year following a separate inquiry that found evidence that he had violated rules meant to insulate public television and radio from political influence. His renomination by President Bush to another term as chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors is pending before the Senate....

***

Mr. Tomlinson is a 62-year-old Republican and former editor of Reader’s Digest who has close ties to Karl Rove, Mr. Bush’s political strategist and senior adviser....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/29/washington/29cnd-broadcast.html?hp&ex=1156910400&en=4297aef454414ef4&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Greeby]

1. To understand what this is about, listen to Bill Moyers speech...

At George Washington University

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/anniversary/moyers.htm

Basically Tomlinson wanted to destroy NOW and turn PBS into a right-wing sump hole

[sendero]

11. With NPR..

... he came close to succeeding. Back in 2003, you couldn't listen for 15 minutes without hearing from the Heritage Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute, the CATO Foundation or the National Review.

I bailed on NPR at that time and haven't sent them money since. They have gotten better lately, but they still aren't good enough to pay for. Still plenty of bias and bullshit in their reports IMHO.

[warrens]

20. That was exactly his intention

And they're still at it, although they're keeping a really low profile until this blows over. They cannot TOLERATE any dissent, any science, any accuracy. Colbert's truthiness is too kind. It's not what they WISH was true, it's what is NECESSARY to be true to justify all the bullshit they believe. It just goes on and on and on; it all comes down to a belief that greed is good, noble, all-American. They're greedy, they know it, and they want to make a moral case for it.

From there, all matter of obscenity grows.

[ck4829]

2. The Culture of Corruption is revealed yet again.

[SpiralHawk]

3. republicons are so un-American

They hate us for our freedoms. They are a pack of corrupt cronies, lining their own pockets at public expense.

[LTR]

4. This deserves a strong K&R

[Scurrilous]

5. K & R

:thumbsup:

[drm604]

6. K&R

This is #5.

[drm604]

7. K&R

:kick:

[skids]

8. K and ArrrrrrR.

Scaliwagssss all thessse Republicans be! It warmsss me cocklesss ta see that tharr bloated body come bobbin back up ta tha surrfasss. Wit a dash of extra rrot on it ta boot, no lessss.

[tanyev]

9. Horse racing operation?

Do he and Brownie have a history together?

[DeepModem Mom]

10. I KNEW there was another horse guy -- you're right: it's Brownie. nt

[maseman]

13. Well they are both full of horse shit!

[FreeStateDemocrat]

12. Even with all the secrecy and cover-ups some of the rot still leaks out.

How much will never be revealed to an apathetic public that doesn't pay attention or even understand the immoral depths of this totally corrupt mis-administration?

[gratuitous]

14. Any chance of criminal charges?

Or just another case of IOKIYAR?

[DeepModem Mom]

15. From the article on this --

"The summary of the State Department inspector general’s report said the United States attorney’s office in Washington had been given the report and decided not to conduct a criminal inquiry into the matter. It said the Justice Department was pursuing a civil investigation that focused on a contract Mr. Tomlinson had awarded to his friend."

[warrens]

16. Tomlinson Cited For Abuses at Broadcast Board (govt paid for his horses!)

CPB Ex-Chief Put Friend On Payroll, State Dept. Says

By Paul Farhi
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 30, 2006; Page C01

A year-long State Department investigation has found that the chairman of the agency that oversees Voice of America and other government broadcasting operations improperly used his office, putting a friend on the payroll and running a "horse-racing operation" with government resources.

The report, released yesterday, marks the second time in less than a year that an internal investigation has found evidence of rules violations by Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors.



In November, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting inspector general found that Tomlinson had made improper hires, had tried to tamper with PBS's TV programming and appeared to show political favoritism in selecting CPB's president while he was chairman, Tomlinson resigned his CPB post that same month.

The new allegations against Tomlinson, 62, stem from his chairmanship of the BBG, which oversees the federal government's array of international broadcasting services, including VOA, Radio and TV Marti in Cuba and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/29/AR2006082901492.html

I WANT THIS GUY IN JAIL!

[WhiteTara]

17. I want him jail too! His little chipmunk face

or is that a ferret face? Whatever it is, I want to see it stuffed with bad food for a very long time.

[Judi Lynn]

22. Brace yourself. Here's a full frontal Tomlinson portrait:

Had enough?

In a normal world, this man would stand out as a criminal and a mutant. In _Bush's world, he fits right in.

[shain from kane]

18. Enough horsing around. Get a posse together and bring him to justice

at the end of a rope. Hang 'em high!

[RedEarth]

19. It will be interesting to see if Bill Moyers has a comment

[Supersedeas]

21. Filthy Skank Pubby Family Values

[MasonJar]

23. This is the a--hole who fired Bill Moyers. Just like most of the

current Pugs he is obviously a crook and a charlatan. To think that he had the say over a great man and journalist like Moyer shows how the country has slid into mediocrity supreme.

[Judi Lynn]

24. Update: Senate Committee to freeze Tomlinson nomination

Senate Committee to freeze Tomlinson nomination
Posted 8/31/2006 11:20 AM ET

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate Foreign Relations Committee does not plan to act on President Bush's re-nomination of an agency head accused of misusing government money.

A summary of a report by the State Department's inspector general, released Tuesday, said Kenneth Tomlinson misused government funds for two years as chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors. That's the agency which oversees the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and other U.S. government broadcasting abroad.

Tomlinson is accused of overbilling for his time and hiring a friend as a consultant.

On Wednesday, Andy Fisher, a spokesman for the Foreign Relations Committee, said the panel had taken no action on the January 2005 nomination while the investigation was underway "and does not intend to now."
(snip)

Tomlinson's term expired in 2004, but he stayed on under board rules which permit him to continue until a replacement is confirmed, Fisher said.
(snip/...)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-08-31-tomlinson-nomination_x.htm

[DeepModem Mom]

26. Thanks, Judi Lynn! nt

[bobthedrummer]

25. All media and communications are used illegally by BFEE

to suppress truth and prevent organized opposition. It's power is failing by the hour now.

"Reality vs. perception management"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x71919#top

[Blue_Tires]

27. damn

so that's all i need to do to get hired again! find some friend with GOP ties!